Length gauge and marker for dresses



H. H. YOCUM LENGTH GAUGE AND MARKER FOR DRESSES Aug. 28, 1934.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 26, 1954 m N @gd E @qw W MN M M U C vw. QN mw NN. MIJWN l A Mn Wm. l v y m ww M Nn/m wn um on m. y w m IQ n m -..lil mn wn w+ @n w N* v M m m l N )NH m E m T. Q ww m4n Q U g g Aug. 28, 1934. H. H. YocUM LENGTH GAUGE AND MARKER FOR DRESSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1954 HHN/zy H. YJCUM Patented Aug. `28, 1934 UNITED srArss i LENGTH GAUGE AND MARKER FOR,Y

DRESSES Henry H. Yocum, Shamokin, Pa.

Application March 26, 1934,'seria1 No. 717,400

9 Claims.

This invention relates to dress length measuring and marking devices.

It has for its general objectthe provision of apparatus which makes a circumferential mark 5 upon a skirt or dress at any desired distance from the plane of the ground while they dress is on the wearer.

The invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with the retail sale of ready-made dresses, although itis of so general a utility as to be advantageously employed in any relation in which dress or skirt lengths are to be altered.

Analogous devices have at one time or another been proposed, but these have uniformlyfailed `in the practical accomplishment of their aims.

One of the chief obstacles to the successful `operation of such devices as have heretofore been known is that the bottom portion of the skirt or dress is loosely draped, flimsy, full or pleated, and is drawn sideways by the marking device so that the resulting mark is not at a uniform distance from the plane of the ground all around.

`The present invention has for one of its objects the avoidance of this drawback by the provision 2D of means for producing an intermittent circumferential mark `made up of short dashes during the making of which the skirt or dress is held in relation to the marker and between which dashes thematerial of the garment is released and per- 39 mitted to re-assume its position of repose.

"A `further object of the invention is `to provide co-operating rotating means, externally tangent, lbetween which the lower part of the skirt or dress passes, the one` means frictionally holding f' the material at intermittent intervals as described while the other does the marking, the circumferential speed of the holding and marking meansbeing diiferentrso that the marking means has a wiping action insuringthe imprint- 4 ing upon the material of a visible mark.

tural features concerning themselves with the adjustment of the marking mechanism radially with,` respect to the longitudinal axis of the garment, the pitching of the marking means with respect to thenormal divergence of the lower portion of the garment, the shielding of the force transmitting means protecting the skirt or dress from contact or entanglement therewith asthe wearer steps upon the platform, the rotary carrier for transferring chalk from a `stick of chalk to` out the several ngures of which the same characters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts:` Figure 1V is a side elevation partly in section of apparatus constructed according to the principle of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the revolving arm showing the adjustable carriage inexploded relation to said arm;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan viewpartly in 65 section and partly broken away taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 1; Q

Figure 4 is a plan View showing the major portion of the revolving arm `and the mechanism carried thereby;

Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure l; and Figure 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Referring now in detail tothe several figures the 75' numeral l represents a stationary base preferably of circular contour and having at its center a fixed elevated platform 2 the latter preferably overhanging a supporting shank 3. `These parts may be made separable and connected togetherby` a1 Se' bolt 4, the nut end of which is shown as being in a countersink 5 and concealed by a cap 6 closing said countersink and terminating flush with the platform. The latter is shown as having a suitable covering 7 which may be made of carpeting or other suitable material, or be omitted altogether since it is not of the essence of the-invention. The person who tries on adress or skirt or wishes the length altered steps upon thebase 1 and then upon the platformZ where she stands 905 Wearing the dress while the gauge is suitably Aad`` iusted and the mark imprinted circumferentially upon the' garment.

The gauge as a whole is designated by the reference character 8 and comprises three upstanding members, a shaft carrying a chalking device, in the form of a revolving disk 9, a rotating paddle-shaped member 1i) which makes substantial ccntact with the revolving disk 9 at pointsrin its rotation in which its width dimension is'moshaft 11 and vertical adjustments of said disk with .un

respect to said shaft are made by shifting the disk up or down while the wing nut 12 is loosened and then tightening the wing nut in the desired position.

The person desiring the alteration having stepped upon the platform 2, her dress or skirt is placed between the paddle member 10 and the disk 9. This may be readily done while the paddle member is presenting its broad face to the disk 9, when ample space exists between these elements. If it is desired to have the garment terminate a certain number of inches above the ground plane the disk 9 is preferably set to the right height before the garment is inserted between the disk and paddle member. 1f however, the proper height from the ground plane is to be ascertained by the trial method the disk 9 is shifted after the material of the garment is in place. The disk 9 is provided with a suitable chalk receptive rim 13 to which powdered chalk is constantly applied during the rotation of the disk from a stick Vof chalk 14 slidably carried in a socket 15 and pressed against the rim of the disk 9 by a spring 16. The socket 15 is adjustably mounted on an upstanding rod 17 and after the disk9 has been suitably allocated the socket is moved to a position in which the stick of chalk 14 contacts the rim 13 of the disk 9.

The revoluble movement of the gauge S circumferentially around the skirt or dress is imparted by means of a crank 18 or its equivalent connected to a horizontal shaft 19 mounted in a suitable bore in the base 1. At its inner end and preferably beneath the platform 2 so as to be in a position of concealment is a bevel gear 29 which meshes with a gear 21 revolving in a channel 22 in the shank 3 of the platform 2. Figure 1 shows that the gear 21 is secured to an annular disk 23, the latter playing 'm the channel 22, but this specific construction is not to be regarded as more than a model makers expedient, and it is to be understood that any manner of mounting the gear 21 is within. the purview of the invention. An arm 24 is suitably secured to the gear 21 and revolves therewith the arm extending beyond the platform 2 and carrying the gauge mechanism. The outer portion of said arm is preferably supported by a caster 25 resting upon the base l and the height of the caster 25 is such that the arm 24 cants upwardly in the direction of its outer end giving the shaft l1 and the axis of the paddle member 10 a pitch which places them substantially parallel to the flare of the garment being marked.

Rotary motion is imparted to the paddle member 1G and the marking disc 9 through a vsprocket 26 xed to a shaft which passes through the arm 24 and carries at its lower end a. planet wheel 27 meshing with an orbit gear 28 .fixed to the base 1. As the arm 24 revolves the planet wheel 27 necessarily rolls around the ring gear 28 imparting rotation to the sprocket 26. The latter engages an endless chain 29 which at the forward end of the arm 24 passes around a curved guide plate 3o.

`The shaft 11 is mounted in a carriage 31, see

Figure 2, which is longitudinally adjustable with respect to the arm 24 by means of lugs 32 carrying bolts which pass through a slot 33 in said arm and which bolts carry wing nuts 34 by means of `which the lugs 32 can be clamped against the arrn 24 in any desired longitudinal position of adjustment of the carriage 31. The lower end of the shaft 11 carries a gear 35 meshing with the chain 29 as clearly shown in Figure 5 and through which means rotation is imparted to the shaft 11. When the carriage 31 is longitudinally adjusted the gear 35 simply rolls along the chain to the required distance.

The carriage 31 is preferably composed of upper and lower frame members 36 and 37 between which are carried two interineshing gears one, the gear 38, being fixed to the shaft ll and driven through the rotation of the shaft and the other, 39 being to the lower end of the paddle member 10. Thus the paddle member is driven through the gear 38 at the lower portion of the shaft 1l.

A hanged member 40 is detachably secured to the arm 24 as shown in Figure 6, the of which member limits the lateral movement of the chain 29 and keeps it in engagement with the teeth of the gear 35 which drives the shaft 1l. A similar but somewhat shorter member 41 holds the opposite side of the chain within the boundary of the width of the arm 24. Thus the chain is prevented from extending to a position in which it might come in contact with the garment and soil or tear it.

1n operation, the crank 18 is preferably down when the person wearing the garment to be marked for alteration steps upon the base 1 and upon the platform 2, the crank in this position presenting no risk of catching upon the dress regardless of its length. The lower portion of the skirt or dress then placed between the disk 9 and the paddle member in the manner hereinbei'ore explained and the 9 and the chalk carrying socket fixed in the desired height position. The opera-tor then turns the crank causing the arm 24 to rotate about the platform to carry with it the gauge elements. 11 bearing the disk 9 and the paddle member 10 rotate simultaneously with the revolving of the arm, the paddle member pressing the mate- The shaft rial of the dress intermittently into Contact with the rim 13 of the disk 9 and then releasing this contact. The edges of the paddle member are preferably faced with a layer of rubber 42 so that whenthe edges of the paddle member are in positions of approach to the disk 9 they take 5 positive hold of the dress material and carry it through a small arc before releasing it. While the material is thus being translated by the rubber edge of the paddle member, it wiped by the rim 13 of the disk 9 which as has been stated l s eters so that the disk 9 and the paddle member v travel at different speeds. 1t is practically impossible to produce a visible chalk mark on toi:- tile fabrics by merely pressing a chalked surface against said fabric, but a thoroughly visible mark is imprinted upon the material through the wiping action.

Just as soon as the rubber faced edge of the paddle member 10 has released its hold upon the material in the course of the rotation of the paddle member, the material which may have been pulled slightly away from its repose position by the friction of the paddle member is released so that it re-assumes its position of repose. Regardless therefore of how full or how scant may be the cut of the garment, it is not v I dragged out of place by the contact of the marking device to the extent that an irregular or spurious line is imprinted upon it, but through the intermediary of the broken line comprising a series of dashes wipingly applied and alterfio `to the flare of the skirt or dress maintains the material in straight condition and prevents wrinkling which might occur if the direction of the axis of the shaft 11 and paddle member conflicted with the direction of flare of the garment. Y i

While I have in the above description disclosed what I believe to be a preferred and practical embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the specific structure as shown and described is merely by way of example and not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is: 1. Revoluble length gauge and marker for dresses comprising a fixed pedestal for a person wearing the dress to be marked for alteration,

an arm revoluble thereabout, and rotatable gauge members carried by said arm adapted to receive between them the lower part of the fabric of the garment, one member being adjustable in a height direction relative to the other, one member being flattened and making Contact with the -other through the intermediary of the fabric,

when its width dimension is substantially radial with respect to the axis of the other member, but moving out of contact with said other member in other phases of its rotation, theadjustable l member being a marker.

2. Revoluble length gauge and marker for dresses comprising a fixed pedestal for a personl wearing the dress to be marked for alteration, an arm revoluble thereabout, and rotatable gauge members carried by said arm adapted to receive between them the lower part of the fabric of the garment, one member being adjustable in a height direction relative to the other, one member being flattened and making contact with the other through the intermediary of the fabric,

when its width dimension is substantially radial with respect to the axis of the other member, but moving out of contact with said other member in other phases of its rotation, the adjustable i member being a marker, and the flattened member having a scale to which the adjustment o the co-operating element is referred.

3. Revoluble length gauge and marker for dresses comprising a fixed pedestal for a person wearing the dress to be marked for alteration, an arm revoluble thereabout, a carriage adjustable longitudinally of said arm and carried thereby, rotatable gauge members mounted on said carriage adapted to receive between them the lower part of the fabric of the garment, one member being adjustable in a height direction relative to the other, one member being flattened and making contact with the other through the intermediary ,mi of said fabric when its width dimension is subfor revolving said arm and means operating through the revolution of said armrfor.V rotating said'fgauge members. j i i a i 4. Revoluble lengthgauge andA marker for dressescomprisingi-a `fixed pedestal vfor a person wearing the `dress to be' marked for alteration, an arm revoluble thereabout, a carriage adjustable longitudinally ofsaid arm and carried-thereby, 1'0- tatable gauge members mounted on said carriage adapted to receive betweenthem the lower part ofthe fabricfof the garment, one member .being adjustable -in ai height direction relative to the other, `one member lbeing flattened and making contact/with` the other through the intermediary of said fabric when" itswidth dimension is sub'- stantialiy radical with respect to the axis of the other member, but moving out of contact with said other member in other phases of its rotation, the adjustable member being a marker, means for revolving said arm and means operating through the revolution of said arm for rotating said gauge members at differential speed, whereby said marker is given a wiping action against saidV fabric.

5. Revoluble length gauge and marker for dresses comprising a fixed pedestal for a person gauge member being flattened and making contact with said disk through the intermediary of said fabric when its width dimension is substan- -tially radial with respect to the axis of said disk,

butmoving out of contact with said disk in other phases of its revolution, means for supplying a marking agent to the rim of said disk, means for revolving said arm and means operating through the revolution of said arm for rotating said shaft and said flattened gauge member.

6. Revoluble length gauge and marker for dresses as claimed in claim 5, the flattened member having its edges faced with a friction augmenting element whereby the fabric of said garment is held when said flattened member is in contactual relation to said disk, said disk and flattened member being driven at differential speed whereby the rim of said disk is given a wiping action against said fabric during the contact phase of said flattened member.

7. Revoluble length gauge and marker for dresses as claimed in claim 5, the means for supplying marking agent to the rim of said disk comprising a socket adapted to hold a piece of chalk and a spring for pressing said chalk against the rim of said disk, and 'the flattened member `having its edges faced with a frictional augmenting element whereby the fabric of the garment is held when said flattened member is in contactual arrangement with said disk, said disk and flattened member being driven at a differential speed whereby the rim of said disk is given a wiping action against said fabric during the Contact phase of said flattened member.

8. Revoluble length gauge and marker for dresses as claimed in claim 5, said shaft and the axis of said co-operating gauge member beingpitched in the direction of the flare of said garment.

9. Revoluble length gauge and marker for dresses comprising a base, a fixed pedestal of smaller plan dimension than said base adapted as a stand for a person wearing the dress to be marked for alteration, a gear beneath `said pedestal, an arm xed with respect to said gear re- Voluble above said base and about said pedestal, a carriage adjustable longitudinally of said arm and carried thereby, a rotatable shaft mounted in said carriage, a marking disk adjustable longitudinally upon said shaft and rotated thereby, a co operating gauge member rotatably mounted in said carriage, said gauge member beingflattened and making contact with said disk through the intermediary of said fabric, when its Width dimension is substantially radial with respect to the axis of said disk, but moving out of contact with said disk in other phases of its revolution, an upright 

